Newbie, take it easy on me if this has been covered already.... I have a 99 Civic EX that has been sputtering when I start it up for the first time for the day (day or night). Only that first time, I can then let it sit all day long and start it up late at night and it will be fine. Basically sputters and sounds like it is running on 3 cyclinders, and I have no power until I get to about 3500-4000 RPM's then it is like the car just kicks in and goes. After about 5-10 minutes it goes away and the car drives normal. Engine light will start to flash, but after about 5 or 7 it disappears. Plugs are brand new, wireset, dist/rotor, and fuel pump are a few months old. Cat is on its way out, not sure if that has an affect on it. Any ideas???

 

I'm expiriencing a similar problem I notice it white smokes too for a while and then it stops smoking and sputters smells like it runing very rich too just for a while then it runs fine.. im thinking the timiing might be off?? but no sure anybody has any idea? thanks

 

Yo man, I got a 99 civic ex and I had the EXACT IDENTICAL problem with my car. I've head that year or whatever the distributor or somethin might have been bad...I dunno. But anyways, what I did, I replaced the Distributor, Spark Plugs, and the Spark Plug Wires and everything went back in order...2 days later I drove my car from Houston to KC so yeah, still runnin strong, I think thats what you gotta do.

Hope that helps...

 

Thanks for the replies. You replaced the entire distributor assemby? Any one else have some input?

 

try just getting new spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotor and check the timming i retarted mine alittle bit and and its running good now